An electric wire typically comprises a conductive material such as copper, silver, nickel, aluminum, gold, etc. that can withstand temperatures up to but less than its melting point. To avoid creating a short circuit between the conductive material and some other electrically conductive object (including itself), the conductive material is covered along its length in a sheath of an elastomeric insulating material such as rubber, plastic or other material. The elastomeric insulating material is typically pliable enough to allow the wire to be bent at an angle with a relatively small bend radius without rupturing, crumbling or otherwise breaching the insulation of the wire. However, in environments where the temperature is high (e.g. 600-1000° F.), an elastomeric insulator can breakdown or melt away potentially creating short circuits and increasing the likelihood of system malfunctions that result therefrom.
To operate in high temperature environments (e.g. 600-1000° F.), ceramic insulation material (e.g. zeolite) may be used. However, ceramic insulation tends to be friable and susceptible to flaking Wires protected by ceramic insulation cannot therefore tolerate bending where the bend radius is smaller than a predetermined minimum bend radius dictated by the ceramic insulation. Because of this limitation, it is difficult to manufacture some electrical devices that can operate in high temperature environments.
Of particular difficulty is the manufacture of wire coils such as inductors, electric motor windings, generator windings, linear variable differential transformers (LVDT), and the like. This is so due to the tight bends encountered in the manufacturing process while terminating a wire or supporting the wire during the winding process. Therefore, there is a need for devices and methods for terminating and supporting a wire without exceeding a minimum bend radius at any point along the wire.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop devices and methods to facilitate the manufacture of electrical devices for use in high temperature environments. Specifically it is desirable to support ceramic-insulated wiring during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.